Financial support requested for fishermen.

Members of a Mexican legislative commission approved a resolution demanding special financial support for San Felipe fishermen who have been affected by the two-year fishing ban in the Sea of Cortez.

Congresswoman Nancy Sánchez, a Mexicali member of the Institutional Revolutionary Party, introduced the resolution at the Fishing Commission of the Lower Chamber of Mexican Congress.

The resolution requests federal agencies provide economic compensation to fishermen.

The resolution was approved unanimously and was co-written by congressmen with the Green Party.

Sánchez acknowledged this financial support will not be sufficient but will lessen the difficult situation of the fishermen.

The Mexican lawmaker said the situation might worsen as environmental groups and public officials have been pressing to extend the fishing ban that was originally launched two years ago in order to protect species like totoaba and Vaquita marina.

The pressure against fishermen has turned more serious as registered commercial fishermen are banned from fishing while illegal fishermen have kept doing their activities in the area.

Fishermen have protested the previous days, demanding the ban be lifted.

“It is very important to strengthen inspection and law enforcement in the sea,” Sánchez said. “Authorities must look for other areas of opportunity that allow fishermen to get into other types of businesses like sport fishing.”